Dredging apparatus



(No Model.)

W. M. DOUGLAS. DBBDGING APPARATUS.

No. 491,723. Patented Feb. '14, 1893.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY me Noam: PJERS ca. mow-mac" WASNYNGYON, u, c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. DOUGLAS, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THEBUCYRUS STEAM SIIOVEL AND DREDGE COMPANY, OF BUCYRUS,

OHIO.

SI EGIFICATIO1T forming part of Letters Patent No. 491,723, datedFebruary 14, 1893.

Application filed January 26, 1892. Serial No. 419,296. (No model) '10aZZ whom it nay concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Galvestomin the county of Galveston and 5' State ofTexas, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin DredgingApparatus, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in dredging apparatus and itconsists in combining with the well known bucket chain form of excavatora suction pipe provided with a hopper and a crushing or breaking de-Vice so that the material being deposited in the hopper by thecontinuously moving buckets will be carried under the action of gravityto the breaking or crushing device and thence through a suction pipe andpump and delivery pipe to the place of deposit.

In the drawings hereof, Figure 1 illustrates an elevation of theapparatus. Fig. 2 illustrates a detail of the breaker.

A is the float. B is the boom. 0 is the endless chain. D are thebuckets. These parts are or may be the same as ordinarily used in thisform of apparatus.

E is a hopper preferably of metal which connects witha vertical chute F.

G is the breaking apparatus which comprises fingers I set upon a shaft Jwhich is supported upon bearings H.

K is a pulley or gear wheel as the case may be, fast on the end of theshaft J which is suitably connected to motive power whereby the shaft Jand its breaker fingers I are rotated.

L is a chamber at the base of the vertical tube F into which thematerial after having been broken up by the breaker drops.

M, M,';are two pipes which connect with the water on the outside of thefloat below the water line and convey water to the chamber L.

N is a suction pipe which connects the chamberL with the eye of the pump0 and P is adischarge pipe which extends overboard to the place ofdelivery. The pump, the breaker device and the buckets are or may be alloperated by the same motive power orindependent motors may be providedfor them.

The operation is as follows: The buckets being in continuous operationas usual lift the material and deposit it under the action of gravity inthe hopper E. Gravity then carries the material downwardly and brings itinto contact with the breaker. This revolves with more or less rapidityand thoroughly disintegrates such compacted masses as may be present inthe material. From the breaker the material drops into the chamber Lfrom which it is drawn through the suction pipe N. by the pump 0. Waterfrom the outside entering through the pipes M, M, increases the fluidityof the material at the chamber L, so that it readily passes through thesuction pipe, the pump and discharge pipe. The pump 0 in a well knownmanner draws the material in at the eye of the pump and discharges itthrough the discharge pipe P which connects with the periphery of thepump.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction shown and describedsince it will be apparent to those who are familiar with this art thatalterationsmay be made therein without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I claim:

The combination in a dredging apparatus of devices to lift the material,a hopper into which the material is deposited by the said devices, aconduit connecting with said 110pper, a breaker in said conduit and achamber below the breaker into which the material drops, a pipeconnecting the chamber with a source of watersupply, a suction pipe, apump and a discharge pipe, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas, this18th day of January, A. D. 1892.

WILLIAM M. DOUGLAS.

Vitnesses:

H. O. LIMKE, W. B. MILTON.

